Galloping to Freedom: Saving the Adobe Town Appaloosas

“We feel very strongly that the horses should be on the land where they belong.”

Carol Walker, a famed wildlife photographer, became a wild horse advocate after experiencing first hand the wild horses in the Red Desert of Wyoming “I was just enchanted.” Walker kept going back to the area over and over again and then found out that the horses were going to be rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and most of them removed” and when I found this out I was devastated but I thought what can I do to help?”

The wild horses are in 10 western states including Colorado. The largest wild horse population is in Nevada followed by Wyoming. There are 4 wild horse herds in Colorado. There were 5 herds until October with the BLM removed the West Douglas Herd. “We are considering them a returned native species, part of our western landscape.” At the turn of the century there were approximately 2 million horses roaming the plains. Walker estimates that there are less than 25,000 horses in the wild with the BLM holding 50,000 in holding facilities “we feel very strongly that the horses should be on the land where they belong.” Walker says the BLM is removing the horses because of interests like corporate large scale cattle and sheep ranchers who view the horses as grazing competition and the oil and gas industry which is encroaching on public land.

Walker seeks to raise awareness of the plight of the wild horses through her photography which she uses for advocacy and change. In her latest book “Galloping to Freedom: Saving the Adobe Town Appaloosas” Walker shows the four wild horse herds she’s been following for the past 11 years.